


It's a Little Scary Sometimes

by nowweareunstoppable



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Blood, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Mild Blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2014-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-04 07:28:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2988563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowweareunstoppable/pseuds/nowweareunstoppable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Korra accidentally cuts herself and practices bloodbending for the first time, to her own distress. Asami interrupts and tries to reassure her Avatar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's a Little Scary Sometimes

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly have no idea where this came from. It's quick, and probably has a few mistakes. If you don't like blood, don't read! It's not gory by any means, but blood is described.

Korra watched the blood seep out of the slash on her palm. She hadn’t meant to catch the knife in midair after she’d dropped it; it was just instinct. The pain was sharp and different from the duller blows she was used to from the elements. When she fought, and blows landed, her body felt them, but not really like this. Not in the same way. 

She sank slowly into a sitting position with her back against the kitchen cupboards. Asami was probably going to mad at her for getting blood on the floor, but Korra was too mesmerized with the way her blood was trickling, running, seeping out of where it rightfully belonged. She held her hand up higher and watched the blood drip off of it and sprinkle against her pants. The fabric greedily sucked up the liquid and turned it into a dark stain that wasn’t nearly as interesting as the brilliant crimson smeared across her palm. In fact, Korra didn’t know if she’d seen anything quite as red as this, except maybe Asami’s lipstick. Yes, Asami’s lipstick was definitely up there on her list of mesmerizing colors.

When Korra lifted her other hand, she felt like she was in a trance. Before she could think about what she was doing, her fingers started moving of their own accord. They extended, then retracted, extended, retracted, mimicking the waves that licked up onto the beach at Air Temple Island. Immediately, Korra’s blood responded to the call. It twisted up into the air, flowing over and around itself as it twisted and pulsed like a living being.

When Tarrlock had bloodbent her, it was an act of violence. His bending was abrupt and invasive. He had jerked and pulled until he finally wrested control from her, like a puppeteer with an unruly marionette. But as Korra bent her own blood, it responded fluidly. She twirled her fingers and watched as her blood spun lazily in the air. When freed from the integral violence that surrounded the art of bloodbending, it was actually quite beautiful, Korra thought. The kitchen lights illuminated the droplets from behind and Korra was so struck by the way it made the red pulse even brighter that she didn’t hear Asami enter the room. She did hear her soft gasp, though, and immediately dropped her hands. The blood that had been suspended in the air lost its motion and dropped wetly into Korra’s lap.

“Korra, wha- Are you alright? What happened?”

Asami ran the few steps that separated her and Korra and dropped to her knees on the kitchen tiles. She took Korra’s hand in her own and gently uncurled it from the fist Korra had unintentionally made.

Korra ducked her head to escape from Asami’s questions. An unknown emotion sizzled on top of her skin and twisted anxiously in her gut. It was shame, Korra realized, as Asami dabbed at her palm with a handkerchief. The sharp, clean pain dulled into a familiar ache and Korra shook her head, willing herself out of the pseudo trance she’d been in.

“I’m sorry, I was making dinner and I dropped the knife. I tried to catch it, I’m stupid, I’m sorry.”

Korra still wouldn’t look at Asami’s face. She didn’t want to see her expression. She had seen what Korra was doing, of course she had. 

Asami stood up, but only to reach into another cupboard for some bandages. She sat down and wrapped Korra’s hand, and only after she finished did she speak.

“I didn’t know you could bloodbend.”

Her tone was so light and so absent of any sort of revulsion that Korra looked up despite herself. Asami was gazing at her with curiosity, not denunciation.

Korra frowned, still confused, “Well, yeah, I think I’ve always known I could, but this is my first time. I mean, I’ve never used it on someone else,” Korra flashed her eyes up to Asami and quickly added, “I would never!”

Asami moved from her knees to a sitting position and slid so that her back was against the cupboards and her knee was touching Korra’s. She cocked her head to the side and gave Korra a quizzical look.

“Why are you acting like I’m going to bite your head off?”

Korra unconsciously reached over to Asami with her good hand and twined her fingers into the fabric of Asami’s jacket sleeve. It was something she did when she needed reassurance, but Asami knew that Korra would be embarrassed if she brought attention to it so instead of covering Korra’s hand with her own like she wanted to, she reached up and brushed Korra’s bangs out of her eyes.

“I dunno, I just… bloodbending is awful. It’s used for hurting people and forcing them to do things just because you’re stronger than them. People that use bloodbending are violent and-“

“Korra,” Asami interrupted, cupping the side of Korra’s face with her palm and tilting it up to look at her, “You haven’t done anything wrong. Bloodbending itself isn’t an evil act. It’s what it’s used for that determines what it is, and you and I both know that you would never force it on anyone.” 

Korra tugged her face away, still ashamed. “I wish I couldn’t do it. I don’t want to be able to do it.”

“You’re the Avatar, Korra. I’m guessing you don’t really have a choice in the matter. You’re the strongest bender on the planet. I wouldn’t doubt that Raava gives you every power she can. You learned metalbending in one afternoon, after all.”

At that, Korra had to give Asami a small smile. “I can lava bend too, you know.”

Asami smiled back, happy to see a sliver of Korra’s natural cockiness shine through her self-doubt. “Of course you can. I wouldn’t tell Bolin, though. You know how proud he is of his rare ability.”

This made Korra outright laugh, and she tucked her head into the space between Asami’s neck and shoulder. She nuzzled her in thanks, but still gave a small sigh.

“Sometimes being the Avatar scares me a little bit.”

Asami wrapped her arm around Korra and pulled her even closer.

“A little bit? If I was the Avatar, I’m pretty sure I’d be hiding under our bed right now.”

“Oh stop, you’d make an amazing Avatar. You’re the kindest person I know. You’d never hurt anyone.”

Asami squeezed Korra gently and laid a kiss on her temple. “Korra, you and I both know that the Avatar does have to hurt people sometimes. But the thing is, you get to choose how you handle those situations. You never have to use any power that you don’t want to use.”

Korra blinked up at her, “See. I told you you’d make a good Avatar. You’re way smarter than me.

“Way prettier, too.”

“Hey!”

Korra butted her head into Asami’s shoulder until she allowed herself to be gently pushed onto her back. Korra hovered over her on her hands and knees and said, “Don’t get cocky on me now, Sato. You know I’m the best Avatar in the world, and you’ve gotta deal with it!”

This made Asami burst into a fit of giggles and she pulled Korra down into a smiley kiss. She knew that Korra was putting on a show of bravado to make her feel better, even though she was the one who was supposed to be being comforted, and Asami felt her chest swell with love. 

“You’re the perfect Avatar, Korra. Raava chose just right. If you don’t believe it yet, after all these years, then I’ll just have to keep believing it for you until you’re smart enough to figure it out for yourself.”

“And that is why I love you, Asami Sato.”  
Korra lowered herself down on top of Asami and allowed herself to be cuddled. She’d never admit it to anyone, but being held by Asami was probably her favorite thing in the world.

“Also, I got blood all over my pants. Can you wash them for me?”

“Ew, Korra.”

**Author's Note:**

> It's a bit of a headcanon of mine that the Avatar has the ability to bend every element (obviously) and also every subset, or specialized bending of every element. Hence, Korra can blood and lavabend.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
